r. 


C 'n 


I n a 


f \ f ^ ‘ I » w O'  V ^ 


Missionary 

Cameralogs 


IVest  China 


_4MERICAN  baptist 
FOREIGN  MISSION  SOCIETY 
NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 


ACKNOWLEDGMENT 


RATEFUL  acknowledgment  is  made  to  Rev. 


D.  C.  Graham,  Rev.  W.  R.  Taylor,  Rev.  W. 
E.  Bailey  and  C.  E.  Tompkins,  M.D.,  for  their 
editorial  assistance  in  reviewing  the  manuscript 
and  the  proof  sheets  of  this  issue  of  the  Camer- 
alog  series.  These  missionaries  also  supplied 
many  of  the  photographs  from  which  the  illus- 
trations in  this  pamphlet  have  been  made. 


HISTORICAL  AND  PICTORIAL 
SERIES 


WEST  CHINA 


I.  A Peep  Through  the  Lens — 

showing  at  a glance  the  people  and 
country. 

II.  Time  Exposure — 

being  a more  minute  consideration 
of  the  land  and  people. 

III.  Developing — 

giving  a resume  of  the  beginnings  of 
missions  in  .Africa. 

IV.  Finishing  Touches  — 

showing  the  present  missionary  work. 


PART  I A PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS 


West  China  Scenery  Along  the  Yangtse  River 


@ The  great  country  of  China  which  occupies  the 
body  of  the  continent  of  Asia,  has  a population  of 
four  hundred  millions,  and  an  area  of  over  1,500,000 
square  miles. 

(§)  The  whole  of  China  shows  an  average  allotment 
of  one  missionary  to  270,000  people. 

@ Szechuan  province,  within  which  lies  our  West 
China  Mission,  has  an  area  of  218,533  square  miles, 
which  is  60,236  square  miles  larger  than  the  State  of 
California.  It  has  a population  equal  to  that  of  France. 
It  is  nearty  twice  as  populous  as  the  next  largest 
province  in  the  Empire,  having  a population  of  sixty 
millions  with  an  average  of  two  thousand  six  hundred 
per  square  mile. 


A PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS  PART  I 


A Typical  Street  Scene  in  Chengtu 


@ Owing  to  the  high  altitude  the  climate  of  south- 
western Szechuan  is  delightfid,  moderate  in  winter 
and  cool  in  summer,  with  heavy  fertilizing  rains.  In 
other  parts  of  the  province  the  climate  is  damp  and  hot 
in  summer,  — accompanied  with  fever. 

(§)  China  supports  three  dominant  religions,  Con- 
fucianism, Taoism  and  Buddhism.  All  three  can  be 
held  at  one  time  by  the  same  person,  as  the  only  real 
religious  practice  of  the  people  consists  in  superstitious 
propitiation  of  idols  and  ancestor  worship. 

@ Szechuan  province,  which  lies  close  to  Tibet,  the 
stronghold  of  Buddhism,  is  cluttered  with  ugly  idols, 
in  every  town  andvn  every  hillside. 


3 


PART  I A PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS 


Muso  from  the  Foothills  of  Tibet 


1.  A Peep  Through  the  Lens. 

The  great  rivers  of  the  Orient  have  often  become  the 
highways  of  the  gospel.  It  was  because  of  the  mighty 
Yangtse-kiang  that  it  was  possible  to  establish  a mission 
in  western  China,  2,000  miles  up  the  river  and  two  months’ 
journey  by  boat  and  carrier  from  the  coast. 

The  Chinese  Empire  is  composed  of  the  divisions  known 
as  China  proper,  and  the  outer  sections  of  Manchuria, 
Mongolia,  Tibet  and  Turkestan.  The  term  China  proper 
refers  only  to  the  eighteen  pro\’inces.  Our  West  China 
Mission  lies  wholly  in  Szechuan,  the  largest  and  most 
populous  province  of  the  Empire.  This  district  in  the 

4 


A PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS  PART  I 


far  western  portion  of  China  with  as  large  an  area  as. 
Japan  proper  and  as  large  a population  as  France,  forms 
a good-sized  nation  in  itself,  and  is  no  small  portion  of 
the  huge  Middle  Kingdom,  the  population  of  which  is 
estimated  at  420  mil- 
lions. According  to 
the  survey  of  the 
China  Continuation 
Committee  in  1917, 
the  population  of 
Szechuan  is  60  mil- 
lions, and  its  area 
218,533  sq.  m. 

While  the  western 
promnce  is  in  general 
a mountainous  region 
the  fertile  valleys  are 
intensively  cultivated 
and  the  hills  provide 
pasture  and  good  tim- 
ber land  so  that  the 
country  could  easily 
support  an  even  larger 
population  than  now  Harvester  at  Work  in  a West  China  Rice  Field 
occupies  it.  Nature 

has  used  a laxdsh  hand  in  hill  and  mountain,  river  and  plain, 
in  a fertile  soil  and  luxuriant  vegetation.  The  scenery,  beau- 
tiful throughout  the  province,  borders  on  the  grand  as  it 
stretches  westward  tow'ard  the  ‘ ‘ great  closed  land  ’ ’ of  Tibet. 

The  most  remarkable  resources  of  Szechuan  are  its 
minerals.  Gold,  silver  and  salt  have  been  continuously 
and  profitably  mined  by  the  Chinese  for  years.  Of  still 
more  importance  for  the  future  development  of  China 
are  the  iron,  copper  and  coal  which  are  found  in  abundance 
in  several  localities.  The  output  of  these  mines  can  be 
greatly  increased  by  the  introduction  of  modem  methods. 


o 


PART  I 


A PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS 


In  some  parts  of  the  country  the  climate  is  as  attractive 
as  the  scenery.  The  mountainous  sections,  due  to  high 
altitude  and  heavy  summer  rains,  have  no  extreme  heat 
or  cold.  In  Ningyuanfu,  the  highest  sirmmer  tempera- 
ture is  about  90  degrees 
Fahrenheit,  and  the  low- 
est winter  temperature  is 
never  below  40  degrees. 
From  October  to  May 
there  is  no  rain  and  al- 
most continual  sunshine 
so  that  crops  grow  all 
winter  long.  Into  the 
hills  above  Kiatingfu, 
near  the  sacred  moun- 
tain of  Omei,  the  mis- 
sionaries from  upper 
Szechuan  go  for  a 
few  weeks  yearly 
to  get  away  from 
the  enervating  heat 
of  the  valleys. 

; The  rains  feed 
the  streams  which 
furnish  water  for 
continuous  irriga- 
tion. If  they  were 
God  of  Pain  developed  along 

modem  lines,  these 

same  streams  would  provide  abundant  water  power  for 
industrial  purposes.  The  great  hindrance  to  the  develop- 
ment of  the  country  is  its  inaccessibility.  From  many 
of  the  remote  cities  one  must  travel  twelve  days’  journey 
overland  to  reach  a ri\"er  port.  All  freight  or  passenger 
traffic  has  to  be  carried  over  the  mountain  roads,  going 
over  passes  10,000  feet  above  sea  level.  Copper  from  the 


6 


A PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS 


PARTI 


mines  south  of  Ningyuanfu  is  carried  twenty  days’ 
journey  to  the  provincial  mints  in  Chengtu.  Our  mis- 
sionaries make  the  journey  over  this  mountain  road 
carried  in  sedan  chairs  by  three  or  four  coolies  for  each 
chair. 

Although  the  jjhysical  traits  of  the  people  throughout 
China  proper  are  in  general  similar,  the  differences  are 
caused  in  frontier  provinces  by  climate,  the  nature  of 
the  country  and  a northern  tribal  strain  of  blood.  The 
Chinese  as  a race  are  characterized  by  a complexion  of  a 
yellowish  cast,  which  they  call  the  color  of  olive.  They 
all  have  the  same  straight  black  hair  and  seemingly  oblique 
eyes,  with  high  cheek-bones  and  roundish  faces.  They 
are  stout  and  muscular  as  compared  with  other  eastern 
peoples. 

In  Szechuan  the  Chinese  occupy  mainly  the  valleys  and 
more  accessible  regions,  while  interspersed  with  them  is 
another  population  almost  as  large  of  aboriginal  tribes, 
including  Lolo,  Nosu,  Lisu,  Hsifan  and  Tibetans,  who 
occupy  mainly  the  hills  and  more  secluded  valleys.  It  is 
believed  that  when  the  Chinese  entered  the  country, 
centuries  before  the  dawn  of  history,  they  overcame  and 
drove  out  a race  of  aborigines  of  which  these  tribes  are  the 
remnants. 

The  Chinese  language  because  of  its  difficulty  and 
complexity  has  constituted  one  of  the  greatest  hindrances 
to  mission  work  in  China.  It  is  a relic  of  the  childhood 
of  the  race,  for  the  system  of  writing  is  based  on  pictures 
of  the  words  or  ideas  to  be  written,  instead  of  on  letters 
which  represent  the  sound.  Of  course  through  the  ages 
and  generations  these  symbols  have  gradually  taken  on 
complicated  meanings,  so  that  each  character  must  now 
be  learned  separately,  a severe  task  of  memory  for  the 
European  or  American  mind.  Thus,  the  word  “quarrel” 
as  written  in  Chinese  is  a formalized  picture  of  two 
women  in  one  square  or  house,  and  the  picture  for  “good” 

7 


PART  I 


A PEEP  THROUGH  THE  LENS 


or  “well”  is  a combination  of  the  characters  for  woman 
and  son. 

The  written  lan<,mage  is  the  same  through  China, 
although  it  appears  in  two  forms,  the  “deep  classical” 
and  the  “easy  classical.”  The  spoken  language  often 
differs  from  the  written  in  the  words  used  and  in  their 
pronunciation,  and  varies  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 
In  West  China  the  Mandarin  is  used  in  various  forms. 
Numerous  dialects  of  an  entirely  different  language  are  also 
found  among  the  remote  tribes  in  hill  and  mountain 
]jass.  That  the  mere  mechanical  act  of  forming  .the 
Chinese  characters  requires  long  study  on  the  part  of 
the  foreigner  may  be  judged  from  the  fact  that  in  old 
China  the  formation  of  written  characters  was  developed 
as  one  of  the  Iiigh  arts. 


Miao  Women  Aborigines  of  West  China 


8 


9 


PART  II 


TIME  EXPOSURE 


Preparing  Raw  Cotton  for  Bed  Quilts 


(§)  In  the  southern  part  of  Szechuan  bordering  on 
Tibet  live  many  aboriginal  tribes,  who  dwell  apart  in 
the  mountain  fastnesses. 

(§)  The  West  China  Mission,  opened  in  1889,  is 
the  most  recent  of  our  Baptist  China  Missions. 

@ The  plains  of  Szechuan  are  fertile  and  well- 
watered  by  rivers.  They  could  under  proper  conditions 
support  a much  larger  population  than  they  do  at 
present. 

(§)  Copper,  gold,  iron  and  coal  abound  in  the  moun- 
tains of  southern  and  western  Szechuan.  They  have 
always  been  mined  a little  by  the  Chinese  but  their 
richest  resources  have  not  been  gauged,  much  less 
developed. 


U) 


TIME  EXPOSURE 


PART  II 


Rev.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Wellwood  Starting  out  on  a Trip  from  Suifu 


(§)  Mount  Omei,  the  sacred  Buddhist  mountain  of 
West  China,  overlooks  our  Baptist  mission  station 
at  Kiatingfu. 

(§)  Injanticide  is  common  in  China,  and  goes  un- 
condemned by  social  or  legal  justice. 

(§)  In  some  sections  the  women  of  China  are  little 
better  than  slaves  in  the  household  and  can  be  sold  at 
will.  They  are  not  supposed  to  appear  on  the  streets 
or  in  public  gatherings. 

@ 41,000  Chinese  women  and  girls  are  studying  in 

mission  schools.  Only  13,000  are  taught  in  government 
schools. 

@ The  five  Baptist  stations  in  West  China  aim  to 
reach  six  and  a halj  of  the  sixty  millions  in  the  province. 


II 


PART  II 


TIME  EXPOSURE 


II.  TIME  EXPOSURE 

The  Chinese  claim  an  authentic  history  as  a nation 
back  to  2800  b.c.  Yet  by  a revolution  lasting  only  a few 
months  they  broke  away  from  the  customs  of  4,71 1 years, 
and  the  ancient  empire  became  a republic.  Perhaps  this 
was  easier  from  the  fact  that  the  reigning  dynasty  for  the 
last  250  years  was  a foreign  people,  the  Alanclius,  who 
conquered  the  country  in  1644,  and  imposed  on  China 
the  government  of  a less  cultivated  race. 

The  Chinese  peoples  have  much  to  be  proud  of,  but 
there  are  many  things  which  call  for  condemnation. 
Although  they  admire  learning  and  have  always  had  a 
written  language,  the  masses  of  the  people  are  densely 
ignorant;  although  business  men  have  a reputation  for 
fulfilling  their  obligations,  public  officials  are  notorioush’ 
dishonest;  although  human  sacrifices  have  never  been 
offered,  infanticide  is  common  and  goes  uncondemned 
by  public  sentiment ; and  although  the  position  of  women 
is  better  than  in  some  other  non-Christian  countries, 
they  have  little  freedom,  are  still  in  many  parts  of  China 
maimed  by  foot-binding,  can  be  sold  by  their  parents,  and 
are  little  better  than  slaves  in  the  household. 

In  the  rich  western  pro\dnce,  however,  where  the  ground 
is  fertile  and  rich  with  minerals,  the  miserable  social  and 
economic  conditions  of  the  east,  caused  largely  by  over- 
])opulation  and  po^-erty,  which  degrade  the  race,  do  not 
hamper  the  workers  to  so  great  an  extent.  The  people 
are  industrious  and  prosperous  and  wide-awake,  and 
have  from  the  first  been  ready  listeners  to  the  gospel, 
although  prompted  by  curiosity  in  the  main.  It  is  through 
influence  in  reshaping  social  customs,  bringing  the  en- 
lightenment of  modern  education,  and  responding  to  the 
direct  physical  and  moral  needs  of  the  people,  that  the 
missionaries  have  gained  their  strong  hold  on  the  hearts 
of  the  West  Chinese. 


12 


TIME  EXPOSURE 


PART  II 


'rill'  Chinese  are  not  a relij^ious  peojile  in  I lie  same 
sense  as  the  Hindus.  They  do  not  take  their  relij^ion 
\’ery  seriously,  although  there  are  some  customs  of  a 
religious  nature  that  hold  them  in  bondage,  such  as 
ancestor  worshijD  and  an  infinite  multitude  of  superstitious 
rites,  (jraveyards  are  holy  ])laces  in  China,  and  over 
the  graves  of  the  family  fathers  are  burned  jjaper  offering-; 
and  cheap  sacrifices  as  a symbol  of  more  material  comforts 
wh'ch  spirits  must  be  given  in  one  fonn  or  another.  This 
custom  of  the  Chinese  reminds  one  of  another  old  civiliza- 
tion, the  Egyptian.  Man\"  things  which  are  found  in 
other  pagan  religions  are  absent  from  the  Chinese  religions, 
much  to  their  credit.  “It  must  be  stated  to  the  honor 
of  the  Chinese,”  says  Emile  Bard,  “that  no  j^eople, 
ancient  or  modern,  ever  ]jossessed  a sacred  literature  more 


PART  II 


TIME  EXPOSURE 


completely  exempt  from  licentious  ideas,  and  at  no  epoch 
has  their  worship  been  associated  with  orgies  or  human 
sacrifices.” 

Three  distinct  forms  of  religion  are  recognized  in  China: 
Confucianism,  Buddhism  and  Taoism,  — the  latter 
being  indigenous  and  peculiar  to  China.  Mohammedan- 
ism has  also  a following  in  some  parts,  but  compared  with 
other  religions  its  adherents  are  comparatively  few. 
These  three  religions  are  not  opposed  to  each  other,  nor 
does  it  follow  that  a temple  or  house  where  one  god  is 
worshiped  can  not  also  permit  the  worship  of  several 
others.  Images  of  Confucius,  the  ancient  sage,  of  Lao 
Tze,  founder  of  Taoism,  and  of  Buddha,  the  Indian 
teacher,  often  fraternize  on  the  same  altar.  Confucianism 
lays  more  emphasis  on  ethical  precepts  than  religious 
feeling  and  is  founded  on  the  writings  of  Confucius,  a 
Chinese  sage  bom  in  551  b.c.  These  principles  have  a 
high  moral  tone,  but  touch  lightly  the  spiritual  side  of  life. 
Confucius  did  not  originate  ancestor  worship  but  he 
sanctioned  it,  and  it  grew  to  be  the  central  idea  of  his 
followers.  Today  — “hundreds  of  millions  of  living 
Chinamen  are  bound  to  thousands  of  millions  of  dead 
ones.”  The  teachings  of  Lao  Tze  are  also  more  philo- 
sophic than  spiritual,  but  they  had  in  them  a germ  of 
mysticism  which  has  grown  into  an  evil  flower  of  super- 
stitious cults  and  practices.  Grotesque  idols  are  made  to 
represent  demons  which  are  invoked  in  time  of  trouble. 
The  medical  missionary  wars  continually  with  these  mud 
and  paper  demons.  Owing  to  its  proximity  to  Tibet  the 
stronghold  of  Buddhism,  West  China  is  cluttered  with 
the  relics  of  decadent  religion.  A missionary’s  wife 
writes  a description  of  this  strange  land : 

We  are  surrounded  by  Chinese  houses  of  tiled  roofs,  only  one 
story  high,  filled  with  idols,  idols  everywhere,  in  house,  shop,  street, 
mountain  and  river.  It  is  interesting  as  you  pass  along  the  street  to 
note  the  variety  and  kind.  They  mostly  take  the  shajje  of  man. 


14 


TIME  EXPOSURE 


PART  II 


though  sometimes  they  are  in  the  form  of  a woman,  and  often 
placed  in  groups  of  three  or  four.  All  are  painted  in  gay  colors; 
before  them  are  placed  bowls,  of  wood  or  brass,  in  which  incense 
sticks  are  poked  when  occasion  demands.  Our  little  town  is  sur- 
rounded by  mountains,  and  whenever  it  is  possible  to  make  the 
ascent  of  any  of  them,  we  find  upon  the  way  a small  temple  or 
shrines  protecting  these  hideous  creatures.  Last  year  we  made  a 
trip  to  the  top  of  the  peak  easiest  of  access;  there  we  found  a priest 
spending  his  spare  moments  making  new  hands  and  feet  for  some 
of  them,  and  with  the  aid  of  different  colored  paints  contained  in 
a series  of  little  saucers,  beautifying  them  to  the  best  of  his  ability. 
Beyond  our  peak  the  gorgeous  snow-capped  mountains  rose  behind 
the  clouds  in  far  off  Tibet;  there  at  our  feet  lay  a rudely  constructed 
temple  containing  these  awful  caricatures  upon  the  work  of  God. 

Buddhism  is  not  a native  religion  but  was  brought  over 
from  India  about  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era.  To 
the  Chinese  it  appealed  as  a doctrine  of  hope,  because  it 
taught  existence  beyond  the  life  which  now  is,  and  that 
future  welfare  depends  upon  conduct  during  life.  The 
Buddhist  establishment  of  temples,  monasteries  and 
shrines  is  kept  up  by  endowments,  by  the  mendicant’s 
bowl,  gifts  of  worshipers  and  prayers  for  the  dead. 

Thus  the  stupendous  problem  of  the  gospel  in  West 
China  stands  revealed.  It  must  penetrate  into  a land 
where  even  the  echo  of  the  vast  movements  in  the  civilized 
world  can  not  be  heard;  it  must  meet  the  stupendous 
pride  of  the  learned  class,  and  the  snug  materialism  of  the 
prosperous  middle  class;  it  must  overcome  the  inertia, 
and  superstition  of  three  great  religious  systems,  and  the 
ignorance  of  aboriginal  \rild  tribes;  it  must  work  in  a 
society  where  women  are  degraded  and  child  murder 
is  not  a crime. 


LG 


PART  III 


DEVELOPING 


House  Boat  for  Travel  through  the  Yangtse  Rapids 


(§)  The  journey  from  the  east  coast  of  China  to  the 
inland  province  of  Szechuan  takes  nearly  two  months 
to  cover,  — traveling  1,000  miles  up  the  river  by 
steamer  and  the  rest  of  the  way  by  houseboat. 

(§)  To  reach  many  of  the  inland  stations  the  mission- 
aries must  travel  twelve  days  overland  by  sedan  chair 
or  on  the  backs  of  ponies. 

@ The  West  China  Mission  was  opened  at  Suifu 
in  1889,  the  fir. st  woman  missionary  arriving  in  1891. 

@ During  the  first  year  of  the  missions  existence, 
seven  were  baptized. 


Hi 


DEVELOPING 


PART  III 


I 


Modern  Steamships  on  the  Yangtse  River 


(§)  Three  times  within  the  history  of  the  mission, 
in  1895,  at  the  time  of  the  local  riots]  in  1900,  because 
of  the  Boxer  Rebellion]  and  in  1911,  the  time  of  the 
Revolution,  the  missionaries  have  had  to  vacate  their 
stations  in  the  face  of  civil  war. 

(§)  Very  httle  advanced  educational  work  had  ever  been 
carried  on  in  West  China  until  the  Union  University 
at  Chengtu  was  opened  in  1906. 

(§)  Since  the  Revolution,  the  people  have  been  more 
eager  than  ever  for  foreign  education,  and  the  study  of 
foreign  beliefs  and  ideals. 


17 


PART  III 


DEVELOPING 


III.  DEVELOPING 

For  forty-five  years  and  more  the  work  of  the  American 
Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society  in  China  had  been  limited 
to  two  fields,  South  China  and  East  China.  It  was, 
therefore,  an  important  step  forward  when  the  new  field 
in  West  China  was  occupied. 

The  pioneers  were  Rev.  W.  M.  Uperaft  and  Rev. 
George  Warner,  who  sailed  in  1889,  taking  a river  steamer 
1,000  miles  up  the  Yangtse  to  Ichang,  then  making  the 
remaining  distance  in  a houseboat.  On  account  of  high 
water  and  primitive  namgation,  the  journey  required 
many  weeks  ere  they  reached  Suifu.  This  is  the  chief 
city  of  a large  district  of  about  3,000,000  people,  and  has 
a population  of  200,000.  Two  millions  of  the  district 
live  in  exclusively  Baptist  territory. 

The  multitudinous  variety  of  work  characteristic  of  a 
pioneer  field  was  vigorously  prosecuted:  study  of  the 
language,  house  renting  and  repairing,  medical  work, 
preaching,  teaching  and  touring  in  country  districts.  A 
long  seed-sowing  time  was  not  the  portion  of  the  founders 
of  the  West  China  Mission,  for  during  the  first  year 
seven  were  baptized,  the  promise  of  a generous  harvest 
which  was  to  be  vouchsafed  by  the  Lord  in  the  years  to 
foil  nv. 

Early  in  1891  Mrs.  George  Warner,  arrived  to  join 
her  husband;  in  the  same  year  came  Rev.  and  Mrs. 
Robert  Well  wood,  who  had  previously  been  connected 
wdth  the  China  Inland  Mission  and  therefore  began  with 
a knowledge  of  the  language.  At  the  close  of  1892  the 
Society  was  represented  by  nine  missionaries,  with  medical 
work,  two  preaching  places,  women’s  classes,  a boys’ 
school,  a Sunday  school  and  a church  of  eleven  members, 
with  offerings  amounting  to  one  dollar  per  member. 

Up  to  this  time  Suifu  was  the  only  Baptist  mission 
station  in  West  China.  In  1893,  however,  twelve  new 


18 


DEVELOPING 


PART  III 


workers  joined  the  mission,  and  plans  were  immediately 
made  for  ad^"ance,  with  the  opening  of  new  centers. 
Kiatingfu  was  occupied  in  1894,  four  missionaries  remov- 
ing to  that  city.  Unwilling  to  stop  even  there,  two  ex- 
plorers, Mr.  Upcraft  and  Air.  H.  J.  Openshaw,  pushed 
on  the  same  year  to  Yachowfu,  the  central  city  of  a large 
district  as  yet  wholly  untouched  by  Protestant  missionary 
effort.  “A  little  medicine,  a great  deal  of  visiting,  and  a 
daily  parade  on  the  main  streets  of  that  city,  so  that  every 
one  might  see  us,  were  our  first  forms  of  work.”  The 
renting  of  permanent  quarters  stirred  up  opposition  and 
vile  placards  were  posted  abusing  the  foreigners.  How- 
ever, when  one  of  the  missionaries  successfully  treated 


Chinese  Temple  at  Suifu 


19 


PART  III 


DEVELOPING 


the  servant  of  an  official,  who  had  been  bitten  by  a snake, 
the  tide  was  turned  in  favor  of  the  missionaries  and  they 
were  allowed  to  stay. 

The  three  stations  were  by  this  time  well  establi.shed, 
with  a good  staff  of  workers.  But  in  a moment  all  were 
left  desolate.  The  riots  of  1895  began  in  Chengtu,  and 
thence  spread  all  over  the  western  part  of  the  province, 
taking  in  Yachowfu,  Kiatingfu  and  Suifu,  as  well  as  other 
cities.  The  little  band  of  workers  was  loath  to  leave. 
Finally  they  made  their  way  down  the  river  and  scattered 
at  Chungking,  some  going  to  the  coast,  some  to  Japan  and 
others  to  Burma. 

When  the  missionaries  returned  in  the  spring  of  1896 
it  was  with  greatly  depleted  numbers,  — three  married 
couples,  two  single  ladies  and  a doctor  having  entered 
other  fields  of  labor.  Nevertheless,  the  work  was  resumed 
in  each  station  with  renewed  zeal.  Reports  like  this  came 
from  the  missionaries  on  their  return;  “The  native 
church  members  are  seemingly  as  strong  in  the  faith  as 
before.’’  This  may  be  said  to  be  the  period  of  greatest 
activity  and  widest  expansion  in  the  history  of  the  mission. 
Enquirers  and  converts  increased  in  number,  and  interest 
sprang  up  in  places  where  previously  the  missionary  had 
been  stoned  and  driven  out.  At  Lichwang,  where  the 
fleeing  missionaries  were  attacked  in  1895,  twenty  or 
thirty  enquirers  were  reported  at  the  end  of  1897. 

A West  China  association,  with  Chinese  delegates,  met 
in  Kiatingfu  at  the  end  of  the  same  year,  1897,  when 
Christians  from  the  three  stations  assembled  for  the  first 
time.  The  middle  of  the  year  1900  marked  the  member- 
ship of  the  three  churches,  Suifu,  Kiatingfu  and  Yachowfu, 
at  sixty-eight,  with  some  two  hundred  names  on  the  en- 
quirers’ roll. 

Hope  was  large  for  the  continued  expansion  of  the  work, 
when  once  again,  in  1900,  the  order  came;  “Leave  your 
stations  immediately  and  come  to  points  of  safety  and 


20 


DEVELOPING 


PART  III 


protection.”  The  storm-cloud  of  Boxerism  had  broken 
in  all  its  fury  in  the  northern  provinces,  and  threatened 
to  sweep  every  foreigner  and  native  Christian  out  of  the 
^ land. 

Most  of  the  members  of  our  West  China  Mission 
returned  to  America  to  remain  until  conditions  sliould 
favor  a return.  Dr.  Corlies  availed  himself  of  tlie  first 
opportunity  to  get  back  to  Suifu,  where  he  found  the 
Christians  still  at  work  as  though  nothing  had  ]iai)])ened. 
The  Chinese  Christians  in  all  the  stations  had  been  kc])t 
faithful.  God  had  more  than  answered  jDrayer  for  the 
safety  of  the  little  flock  which  had  been  left  as  slieep  among 
wolves.  Not  only  so,  but  the  return  of  the  missionaries 
was  hailed  with  joy,  and  a royal  welcome  was  accorded 
them  by  officials  and  people. 

New  educational  and  medical  work  of  an  advanced  grade 
was  started  in  this  next  period.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  C.  E. 
Tompkins  arrived  to  take  charge  of  the  hospital  worlc 
at  vSuifu.  In  1905,  a new  station  was  opened  at  Ning- 
yuanfu,  the  capital  of  a prefecture,  300  miles  south  of 
Yachowfu.  At  Chengtu  the  Union  imiversity  was  organ- 
ized in  1906  and  in  1909  received  its  first  Baptist  repre- 
sentatives in  the  persons  of  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Taylor, 
transferred  from  Yachowfu.  Chengtu,  the  latest  Baptist 
station,  thus  became  the  center  of  the  West  China  educa- 
tional system. 

In  1911  the  province  was  again  disturbed  by  rumors  of 
railroad  troubles  and  threats  of  revolution.  At  last  the 
real  Revolution  broke  out  in  central  China  and  all  were 
advised  to  depart  for  the  coast. 

The  Chengtu  missionaries  and  those  who  were  at  the 
hills  for  their  summer  vacation  went.  But  the  Ningyuanfu 
missionaries  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Openshaw,  who  had  not 
left  Yachowfu  for  the  summer,  felt  that  it  was  better  to 
remain  where  they  were  than  to  face  the  unknown  dangers 
of  the  road.  During  the  momentous  months  that  followed 


21 


PART  III 


DEVELOPING 


Mr.  Openshaw  won  the  lasting  gratitude  of  hundreds  of 
Chinese  by  acting  as  a whole  Red  Cross  Society  in  himself, 
with  Mrs.  Openshaw  as  auxiliary.  The  Chinese  Christians 
still  tell  of  Mrs.  Openshaw’s  bravery  during  the  siege  of 
Yachowfu,  — how  she  would  play  the  organ  and  sing 
while  bullets  whizzed  about  the  house. 


The  Administration  Building  at  the  West  China  Union  University 


Like  a vast  earthquake,  the  Revolution  crumbled  the 
old  foundation  of  Chinese  social  and  religious  life  and 
left  an  eager  longing  for  everything  western.  Even  in 
the  far  west  the  queue  was  cut,  foot-binding  officially 
forbidden,  yamens  thrown  open,  dragons  erased;  the 
people  were  almost  drunk  with  ideas  of  liberty  and  patriot- 
ism. But  they  were  like  prisoners  long  housed  in  the  dark 
and  now  brought  out  for  the  first  time  to  the  light  of  day 
in  a vast  new  world.  All  roads  were  new,  and  unknown 


22 


DEVELOPING 


PART  III 


dangers  lurked  on  ever>"  hand.  A wonderful  opportunity 
of  leading  and  counselling  has  been  granted  to  the  mission- 
ary in  the  years  following  the  great  awakening. 

In  1919  the  West  China  Mission  celebrated  its  thirtieth 
anniversary".  Wars  and  rumors  of  wars  have  filled  the 
annals  of  these  years  with  an  exciting  story,  and,  largely 
thanks  to  the  brave  missionaries  who  made  the  future  of 
this  remote  land  their  own,  — history  has  meant  progress 
for  West  China. 

On  the  one  hand  we  look  back  on  the  days  when  the 
wondering  Chinese  watched  the  foreigner  making  marks 
with  a small  round  stick  which  he  took  from  his  pocket, 
and  discussed  with  one  another  by  what  black  art  the 
magic  was  done ; on  the  other,  we  find  a group  of  progres- 
sive Chinese  scholars  busily  writing  with  these  same 
lead  pencils.  There,  we  see  suspicious  and  doubting 
natives,  discussing  wfith  one  another  the  dark  purposes 
of  the  foreigners  who  came  to  spy  out  the  land  and  take 
their  homes  away  from  them;  here  we  find  their  de- 
scendants praising  America  — “their  sister  nation.’’ 
There  we  find  the  guests  of  the  missionary  afraid  to  accept 
a cup  of  tea  politely  proffered  them,  because  they  fear 
some  mysterious  poison  which  will  change  their  hearts 
into  foreign  hearts  and  make  them  whiling  to  believe  the 
foreign  doctrine  and  worship  the  foreign  God ; — and 
common  talk  on  the  street  says  that  the  foreigners  are- 
cannibals  who  eat  the  flesh  of  little  children  and  gouge 
out  the  eyes  of  the  dead  to  use  in  making  medicine ; — 
here  we  find  Chinese  and  foreigners  feasting  together,  the 
missionary  doctor  called  to  attend  the  mother  in  her  travail, 
to  minister  to  those  who  lie  at  death’s  door,  to  officiate  at 
w-eddings  and  funerals,  and  the  Chinese  enquirer  washing 
to  cast  all  his  cares  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  missionary. 
Finally,  instead  of  a land  of  no  schools,  no  hospitals,  no 
Christian  worshipers,  — w"e  find  today  a land  rich  with 
the  promise  of  civilization  and  evangelization. 


23 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


A Baptist  Mission  School  in  West  China 


(§)  The  most  accessible  of  the  five  Baptist  mission 
stations  is  2,000  miles  from  the  coast.  All  the  five 
stations  are  at  least  100  miles  apart,  and  the  most 
remote  is  300  miles  from  its  nearest  neighbor. 

(§)  There  are  1,207  Baptist  church  members  in  the 
province,  distributed  among  the  five  station  churches. 

(§)  Each  central  station  has  several  outstations, 
manned  by  Chinese  preachers  and  lay-workers. 

@ Owing  to  the  small  number  of  the  station,  schools 
and  their  elementary  character,  candidates  for  baptism 
come  in  to  the  central  station  for  instruction  in  en- 
quirers' classes. 


24 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


PART  IV 


Mrs.  C.  E.  Tompkins^  Kindergarten  at  Suifu 


(§)  There  are  thirty-nine  schools  in  the  TlVsi  China 
Mission:  four  hoys'  higher  primary  schools,  three 
station  girls'  schools,  two  middle  {high)  schools,  one 
kindergarten,  and  a university  which  includes  depart- 
ments in  religious  and  medical  work.  At  Chengtu  are 
two  normal  schools  for  men  and  women. 

(§)  Medical  work  is  carried  on  in  all  the  stations. 
Two  have  regularly  equipped  hospitals.  Three  men 
and  two  women  doctors  serve  the  mission.  Chinese 
workers  are  being  trained  in  the  medical  college  and 
the  nurses'  school  of  the  Women's  Hospital  at  Suifu. 

@ The  people  of  West  China  are  eager  for  foreign  in- 
struction, and  willing  listeners  to  the  gospel.  They  are 
like  a flock  which  will  follow  if  it  be  led.  ] \ 'hy  are  six  and 
a half  million  sheep  left  to  only  thirty-three  shepherds? 

25 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


IV.  FINISHING  TOUCHES 

The  five  stations  of  our  mission  in  West  China  aim  to 
minister  to  a population  of  six  and  a half  millions.  Among 
the  numbers  of  this  vast  pastorate  have  been  built  up 
five  churches,  which  now  count  a membership  of  1,207 
persons ; forty  schools  of  various  degrees  are  busy  training 
the  next  generation  of  Christians.  Medical  work  is 
carried  on  in  all  five  stations  to  some  degree,  and  in  three 
stations  through  the  agency  of  regular  physicians  and 
equipped  hospitals. 

The  five  stations  in  the  order  of  their  founding  are 
Suifu,  1889;  Kiatingfu,  1894;  Yachowfu,  1894;  Ning- 
yuanfu,  1905;  and  Chengtu,  1909. 

Suifu,  the  earliest  station,  is  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
Szechuan  pro\dnce,  at  the  junction  of  the  Min  and 
Yangtse  rivers,  2,000  miles  from  the  sea.  It  has  a popula- 
tion of  about  200,000,  and  is  the  chief  city  of  a district  of 
3,000,000  people  scattered  in  eleven  walled  townships  or 
“hsien”  cities,  sixty-eight  market  towns,  and  dense 
farming  districts.  The  people  are  prosperous,  not  over- 
densely  settled,  and  have  proved  willing  listeners  to  the 
gospel  message.  After  the  disturbances  of  1900,  the 
missionaries  returned  to  find  a new  marked  interest  in  the 
Christian  faith  and  a persistent  demand  for  teachers, 
pastors  and  schools.  But  a depletion  of  the  mission  forces 
resulted  in  diminished  fenmr  on  the  part  of  the  people. 
The  death  of  two  workers  retarded  the  advance  still 
further.  In  1913  a new  lease  of  life  was  entered  upon, 
under  a system  which  has  lasted  up  to  today  except  for 
the  interruption  of  furloughs.  The  field  has  been  divided 
and  assigned  to  two  evangelistic  leaders,  one  for  the  city 
church  and  one  for  the  country  districts.  The  church, 
with  a membership  of  235  and  a Sunday  school  of  400  is 
now  flourishing;  the  educational  and  medical  plants 
both  contribute  in  their  own  peculiar  way  to  the  evangeliz- 
ing of  the  people. 

2() 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


PART  IV 


Day  School  Pupils  and  Teachers  at  Kiatingfu 


Kiatingfu,  the  second  station,  is  said  to  be  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  cities  in  China.  It  lies  at  the  junction  of 
the  Min  and  Tong  rivers,  100  miles  north  of  Suifu.  The 
landscape  forms  a brightly  colored  picture ; red  sandstone 
cliffs  and  city  walls  contrast  udth  the  abundance  of  green 
hillsides  and  trees  reflected  in  the  sometimes  blue,  some- 
times yellow  waters  of  the  river.  Facing  this  citv  sits  the 
famous  image  of  Buddha,  two  hundred  feet  high,  whose 
eyes  seem  to  look  over  the  habitation  of  man  in  cold  dis- 
dain toward  the  “Golden  Srunmit”  of  Mount  Omei,  the 
Buddhist  sacred  mountain  of  West  China. 

The  town  of  Kiatingfu  numbers  a population  of  about 
120,000.  Lying  at  the  head  waters  of  rteam  na\’igation 
it  is  famous  as  a center  for  trade  in  silk,  white  wax,  salt  and 
Irunber,  and  is  the  transfer  point  for  a large  district  whose 
jjroducts  are  brought  to  Kiatingfu  by  the  three  rivers, 
Min,  Tong  and  Ya.  The  outlying  district  is  very  populous, 
— nearly  400,000  i:)eople  living  within  a ten  mile  radius  of 

27 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


the  city.  There  are  three  missions  at  work  in  the  city,  — 
the  Canadian  Methodist  Mission,  the  China  Inland 
Mission  and  our  own  Baptist  Mission,  represented  at 
present  by  one  married  couple  only.  The  Roman  Catholics 
(French)  are  here  in  force,  and  own  large  stretches  of 
property  inside  the  city.  Mission  work  in  this  station 
was  largely  established  by  Rev.  W.  F.  Beaman,  who  re- 
turned after  the  riots  of  1895,  alone,  and  worked  there 
until  in  1911  ill  health  compelled  his  permanent  departure 
from  the  field. 

The  district  lying  to  the  northwest  of  Kiatingfu,  of 
which  Yachowfu  is  the  center,  has  a population  of  about 
one  million.  Although  the  city  itself  is  not  of  great  size  it 
holds  an  important  place  in  the  province.  The  residence 
of  the  district  official  of  the  surrounding  district,  and 
that  of  the  circuit  judge  are  in  Yachowfu.  It  is  a military 
station,  for  the  army  and  all  equipment  pass  through  here 
on  their  way  to  the  border  of  Tibet,  along  the  main  road 
from  Chengtu,  the  capital  of  the  province.  All  Tibetan 
trade  is  transhipped  here,  including  the  important  tea 
trade.  The  Ya  River  on  which  all  this  trade  is  carried, 
is  not  navigable  even  by  rowboats,  but  only  by  bamboo 
rafts.  Much  merchandise  finds  its  way  to  Yachowfu  on 
these  long  light  rafts  to  be  here  repacked  and  carried  on 
the  backs  of  coolie  carriers  to  Takienlu,  the  gateway  to 
Tibet.  Products  of  the  interior,  notably  antimony  and 
salt,  — and  even  opium  when  it  is  occasionally  smuggled 
through,  — are  from  here  shipped  to  the  outer  world. 

At  present  the  Yachowfu  station  has  the  largest  staff 
of  foreign  missionaries  in  its  history,  and  the  work  is 
proportionately  advancing.  A new  church  has  just  been 
completed  under  the  supervision  of  the  able  building 
director.  Rev.  Ward  E.  Bailey.  A fine  hospital  and  a 
boys’  school  act  as  feeders  to  the  evangelistic  efforts. 
Women’s  work  has  been  started  since  1914  and  is  now 
established  on  a finn  and  promising  basis. 


28 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


PART  IV 


Ningyuanfu,  opened  as  a regular  station  by  Rev.  Robert 
Wellwood  in  1905,  is  a frontier  center  which  appeals  to  the 
pioneer  spirit.  Located  near  the  border  of  Tibet  in  a 
secluded  valley,  twelve  days’  journey  from  any  other 
mission  station,  at  an  elevation  just  one  mile  above  sea 
level,  and  .surrounded  by  mountains  rising  to  an  altitude 
of  14,000  feet,  — this  city  has  long  been  the  political  and 
trade  center  for  an  area  of  150  square  miles.  Nearly  one 
million  Chinese  people  inhabit  this  district.  Interspersed 
with  the  Chinese  are  a large  number  of  the  aboriginal 
tribes,  occupjdng  the  remote  hills  and  more  secluded 
valleys.  Tibetans,  Lolos  and  Nosus  live  here  in  numbers 
which  are  quite  ungauged.  It  is  in  this  mountainous 
district  that  the  greater  part  of  the  mineral  wealth  of  the 
western  province  is  concentrated.  Coal,  iron,  silver, 
gold  in  unknown  quantities  lie  hidden  in  the  giant  folds 
of  these  hills,  some  day  to  be  uncovered  by  a generation 
to  come.  But  owing  to  the  lack  of  means  of  transportation 
comparatively  little  of  these  riches  can  at  present  reach 
the  outer  world.  The  nearest  stream  which  connects 
Ningjmanfu  with  the  world  market  flows  by  Yachowfu, — a 
twelve  days’  journey  from  the  former  city. 

Mission  work  at  this  station  has  from  the  first  been 
supported  by  popular  approval.  The  injustice  of  Chinese 
courts  is  accentuated  in  frontier  districts,  and  the  practice 
of  Roman  Catholics  of  aiding  all  adherents,  has  produced 
a demand  for  assistance  in  private  troubles  which  has 
embarrassed  to  a considerable  degree  our  missionaries  at 
Ning\manfu.  The  size  of  the  field  and  its  remote  location 
make  it  imperative  that  a sufficient  force  of  missionaries 
be  sent  to  man  the  field  adequately  until  such  time  as  a 
responsible  force  of  Chinese  workers  and  evangelists  can 
be  raised  up  to  minister  to  their  own  people. 

Chengtu,  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  province  from  our 
last  station,  is  the  capital  and  educational  center  of 
Szechuan.  It  is  located  in  the  midst  of  a popifious  and 


29 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


fertile  plain,  not  far  from  the  foothills  of  the  mountains. 
Within  the  city  walls  dwell  about  three  quarters  of  a 
million  people.  Mission  work  in  this  city  is  carried  on 
by  the  Canadian  Methodists,  the  American  Methodists, 
the  English  Friends,  the  China  Inland  Mission,  the 
Church  Mission  Society  and  the  American  Baptists. 
The  French  Roman  Catholics  also  have  chapels  and 
workers  here. 

The  southeast  corner  of  the  city  for  which  the  American 
Baptists  are  responsible  contains  more  people  than  any 
other  station  of  the  mission  in  West  China,  except  Suifu. 
Work  was  first  begun  here  through  educational  channels, 
the  Baptists  sending  their  representative  to  the  Union 
Middle  School  and  University  which  is  supported  by  the 
Canadian  Methodists,  the  American  Methodists,  the 
English  Friends,  the  Church  Mission  Society  and  the 
American  Baptists.  Five  years  ago  the  Baptist  mission 
had  at  the  University  one  permanent  and  one  semi- 
irermanent  re.sidence  and  a tumbled  down  Chinese  build- 
ing that  served  as  a dormitory  for  our  students.  Today 
the  Baptist  Campus  of  the  West  China  University  is  a 
well  ordered  and  artistically  laid  out  college  campus  with 
its  avenues  bordered  by  trees  and  hedges.  In  addition 
to  the  two  main  buildings  there  are  four  brick  and  one 
semi-permanent  residence.  On  the  Baptist  Athletic 
Field  which  is  inclosed  and  equipped  with  a quarter-mile 
race  track,  the  University  Field  Day  Meets  have  been  held 
for  the  past  three  years.  Recently  the  Baptist  Mission 
has  completed  four  new  buildings  at  the  University,  — 
the  Van  Deman  Memorial  Hall,  a gift  of  the  Van  Deman 
brothers  in  honor  of  their  father  and  mother;  a Middle 
School  dormitory  and  two  commodious  residences,  the 
latter  three  being  gifts  of  a friend  deeply  interested  in 
our  foreign  mi.ssion  enterpri.se. 

In  addition  to  the  work  which  has  been  accomplished 
at  the  University  much  progress  has  also  been  made  within 


30 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


PART  IV 


the  city  of  Chengtu.  In  1914  a Bajjtist  Church  was 
organized.  The  students  under  Baptist  supervision  have 
been  able  to  contribute  to  the  evangelization  of  the 
l^eople,  while  they  themselves  gained  experience  for 
Christian  work.  This  station  is  undertaking  eventually 
to  ])rovide  Chinese  leaders  for  the  entire  West  China 
Mission. 


EVANGELISTIC  WORK 

The  missionaries  to  West  China  work  on  the  principle 
that  only  through  the  labors  of  a trained  staff  of  Chinese 
workers  could  this  va.st  and  remote  district  be  thoroughly 
evangelized.  Many  methods  beside  preaching  are  em- 
ployed for  the  instruction  and  training  of  the  people. 
A rally  day  in  one  station  occurs  annually  and  has  been 
.successful  in  bringing 
larger  numbers  to  the 
days’  services  and  in 
arousing  a fine  enthu- 
siasm for  advance. 

At  another  place  the 
Christian  young  men 
are  gathered  into  a 
Baraca  class,  following 
the  methods  of  that 
movement  in  America. 

In  still  another  station 
a two  years’  class  for 
enquirers  has  been  in- 
stituted with  the  hope 
that  some  good  evan- 
gelistic workers  may 
be  raised  up. 

Evangelistic  work  has  been  emphasized  above  all  other 
forms  of  endeavor  in  West  China.  To  supplement  the 
work  of  the  limited  number  of  paid  preachers  in  the 


Chinese  Evangelist  and  Family  at  Suifu 


31 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


cx'anj^elizin^  of  llie  oiUor  towns  and  districts,  unsalaried 
lay  jjreachers  have  been  utilized.  Especially  valuable 
are  the  services  of  these  men  in  maintaining  regular  street 
I^reaching  at  many  of  the  outstations.  Their  sermons, 
although  often  merely  ]jersonal  testimonies,  are  none  the 
less  effective. 

The  results  of  these  efforts  are  already  being  felt  in 
Suifu,  the  earliest  station,  where  trained  helpers  are  now 
being  brought  into  the  ministry.  The  church  work  is  ver\- 
encouraging  here  wnth  its  membership  of  23d  and  large 
Sunday  school,  institutional  work  for  men,  and  large 
enquirers’  class.  The  work  of  the  immense  evangelistic 
field  which  for  several  years  was  under  the  direction  of 
Rev.  D.  C.  Graham,  is  now  being  carried  on  by  Rev. 
A.  G.  Adams.  New  church  buildings  in  both  Yachowfu 
and  Chengtu  are  recent  acquisitions,  and  promise  to  be 
well  su]:)ported  by  the  native  membership.  On  the  com- 
])Ound  at  Yachowdu  are  Chinese  buildings  to  accommodate 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


PART  IV 


the  men’s  and  women’s  Bible  elasses  whieh  are  held  for 
several  weeks  in  the  spring  and  autumn,  so  that  the  en- 
quirers from  the  outstations  may  come  in  for  several 
weeks’  instruction  before  being  accepted  for  church  mem- 
bership. The  Chinese  Christians  of  Yachowfu  contributed 
f 1,000  mexican  for  the  equipment  of  the  church  ])lant. 
At  Chengtu  the  church  membership  con.sists  largely  of 
students  in  the  Baptist  donuitory  who  have  recei\'ed 
letters  of  transfer  from  other  Baptist  churches.  At 
Kiatingfu,  where  one  man  has  been  left  in  charge  with  his 
wife  of  the  city  church  and  four  outstations,  the  evangel- 
istic work  has  nevertheless  held  its  own.  Ningyuanfu 
has  been  no  less  undermanned  and  at  present  is  without 
resident  missionary.  A concerted  strenuous  effort  must 
be  made  to  properly  staff  this  great  and  promising  mission. 


EDUCATIONAL  WORK 

Chengtu,  the  latest  station  of  the  Baptist  mission,  is 
the  seat  of  the  highest  educational  institution.  The  West 
China  Union  university  was  organized  in  1906,  but  it  was 
not  till  1909  that  our  mission  had  any  representatives 
there.  As  there  were  no  students  of  university  grade 
at  that  time  in  the  district,  the  Union  Middle  School  was 
established  first.  It  was  a time  of  small  and  modest  be- 
ginnings quite  contrary  to  the  usual  method  of  procedure 
employed  by  the  Chinese,  who  usually  commence  such 
undertakings  with  great  display  and  then  gradually  let 
the  buildings  fall  into  decay.  The  university  is  now  fully 
established  on  a fine  site  just  outside  the  city.  Included 
within  its  walls  are  the  faculties  of  arts,  science,  religion 
and  medicine,  the  middle  school,  the  nonnal  school  and 
the  Bible  training  school.  The  instruction  is  under 
union  auspices  while  the  various  missions  each  have  their 
own  dormitories  and  thus  keep  in  touch  with  the  social 
and  religious  life  of  the  students. 


33 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


Opening  Exercises  of  the  Middle  School  Domitory  at  West  China  Union  University 


The  lower  schools  in  the  various  other  stations  of  the 
mission  act  as  feeders  to  this  central  and  highest  institu- 
tion. In  vSuifu,  the  schools,  of  which  there  are  eleven  in 
all,  are  particularly  high  grade  and  well  supported,  — a 
growing  enthusiasm  being  evident  and  willingness  on  the 
part  of  students  to  pay  fees.  Here  is  located  the  Munroe 
Academy,  which  started  as  a boys’  primary  school  and 
later  developed  into  a boys’  boarding  school  of  higher  and 
lower  primary  grades.  The  Academy  of  which  J.  E.  Mon- 
crieff  is  now  principal,  is  taking  its  place  as  the  leading 
educational  institution  among  a population  of  several 
million  people.  There  are  two  jmimary  schools  for 
boys,  well  attended,  in  Kiatingfu,  one  girls’  school,  and 
three  outstation  schools,  — all  under  the  supervision  of  the 


34 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


PART  IV 


one  evangelistic  missionary.  The  school  at  Yachowfu  has 
far  outgrown  the  old  Chinese  buildings  and  is  about  to 
move  into  more  commodious  quarters.  The  boys’  school 
here  has  a regular  attendance  of  over  a hundred.  In 
Ningyuanfu  the  girls’  school  is  the  oldest  institution, 
having  been  carried  on  continuously  by  Mrs.  Wellwood 
since  the  opening  of  the  station  until  her  departure. 
There  is  also  a boys’  school.  Both  schools  are  well  organ- 
ized, and  during  the  absence  of  the  missionaries  are  carried 
on  enthusiastically  by  the  Chinese. 


WORK  FOR  WOMEN 


The  importance  of  winning  over  the  women  of  China 
to  Christianity  and  to  a civilized  way  of  life  in  order  to 
fix  a lasting  influence  upon 
the  lives  of  the  people  has 
been  fully  realized  by  the 
workers  in  West  China. 

Girls’  schools  have  been 
started  in  all  the  stations, 
although  in  one  station  the 
school  has  had  to  be  given 
up  for  lack  of  women  work- 
ers, and  in  another  has 
been  left  entirely  to  per- 
sistent labors  of  Chinese 
helpers.  Foundations  were 
well  laid  by  the  earlier 
missionaries  for  the  work- 
ers of  the  Woman’s  Board 
who  were  to  follow.  In  1 902 
a school  was  opened  at  Suif  u 
by  Dr.  Britton  Corlies.  Not 
long  afterwards  it  was  taken  over  by  Mrs.  R.  Wellwood 
and  still  later  by  Miss  F.  Pearl  Page  under  whose  efficient 
direction  it  has  become  one  of  the  leading  girls’  schools 


A Little  Maid  of  China 


35 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


in  this  section  of  China.  It  is  a boarding  school  with 
high  school  department,  and  is  attended  by  the  daughters 
of  some  of  the  best  Chinese  families,  many  of  them 
coming  from  distant  cities.  As  a result  of  the  strong 
religious  influence  in  this  school  and  the  splendid  spirit 
with  which  Miss  Page  has  inspired  the  girls,  many  of 
them  have  become  earnest  Christians,  and  not  a few  have 
entered  His  service  as  mission  workers.  At  Yachowfu 
Miss  Winifred  Roeder  opened  a higher  primary  boardiirg 
and  day  school  in  1914  upon  the  basis  of  the  old  out- 
station  schools.  The  attendance  grew  in  three  years 
from  thirt}'-three  to  seventy-three.  The  Union  Nonnal 
School  for  wom.en  is  well  attended.  Through  the  Woman’s 
Board  also  has  come  the  Cecilia  hlemorial  Kindergarten 
of  Suifu,  the  first  Kindergarten  organized  in  the  great 
West  of  China.  Nor  has  evangelistic  work  for  women 
been  neglected.  The  wives  of  the  early  missionaries 
prepared  the  path  for  advance.  Bible  classes  and  per- 
sonal visits  to  the  outstations  are  the  methods  employed. 
Gradually  the  customs  which  bind  the  upper  class  women 
of  West  China  in  seclusion  almost  as  rigid  as  that  of 
the  zenana  women  of  India  are  breaking  away,  and  the 
vision  of  the  broader  life  and  broader  interest  which 
comes  with  the  gospel  is  bursting  the  fetters  which  bind 
women  to  a life  of  darkness  and  ignorance. 

MEDICAL  WORK 

Although  medical  work  is  carried  on  to  some  extent  in 
all  the  stations  of  the  West  China  Mission,  it  has  flourished 
especially  at  Suifu  and  Yachoudu  under  Dr.  C.  E. 
Tompkins  and  Dr.  Emilie  Bretthauer  at  the  former  city 
and  Dr.  G.  Glass  Davitt  at  the  latter.  It  was  begun 
in  1892,  at  Suifu,  by  Dr.  C.  H.  Finch. 

The  Yachow  hospital  was  completed  in  1907  by  Dr. 
Britton  Corlies,  and  later  conducted  by  Dr.  E.  T.  Shields. 
It  is  open  for  men  and  women,  and  a daily  dispensary 


36 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


PART  IV 


The  New  Baptist  Church  at  Yachow 


is  carried  on.  Outstation  tours  are  also  taken  occa- 
sionally by  Dr.  Davitt.  On  these  tours,  which  took  him 
as  far  as  the  border  of  Tibet,  Dr.  Davitt  found  especially 
.yood  use  for  the  opium  cure,  for  in  the  border  towns  the 
druy  is  to  this  day  used  extensively. 

Ai-riving  on  the  field  in  1902,  Dr.  Tompkins  immediately 
set  about  the  building  of  the  new  hospital  which  has  been 
his  workshop  ever  since.  The  hospital,  with  its  mixing 
of  races,  ranks  and  religions,  offers  a concentrated  fiekl 
of  action  for  evangelistic  work  by  the  doctor  and  his 
Chinese  evangelist  assistant.  During  the  civil  riots  and 
fighting  between  northern  and  southern  forces  which  has 
gone  on  periodically  for  the  last  two  years.  Dr.  Tompkins 
and  his  staff  have  been  constituted  an  Emergency  Red 
Cross  Corps  and  have  rendered  single-hearted  and  im- 


37 


PART  IV 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


Dr.  C.  E.  Tompkins  in  his  Operating  Room  at  the  Suifu  Hospital 


partial  service  to  all  sufferers  of  all  ]jarties.  Only  when 
Dr.  Toinjjkins  actually  broke  down  from  overwork  and 
contracted  severe  typhoid  fever  was  he  forced  to  leave 
his  post.  As  a publicity  measure  alone  the  undertaking  of 
Red  Cross  activity  was  highly  successful,  for  the  doctor 
has  become  the  best  known  and  the  most  loved  of  all 


.'58 


FINISHING  TOUCHES 


PART  IV 


foreign  workers  in  the  Suifu  district.  If  you  meet  a 
robber  on  the  road,  he  has  more  than  likely  been  to  the 
hospital  for  treatment  at  some  time  or  other, — and  when 
you  say:  “ I am  a friend  of  Dr.  Tompkins,”  he  will  let  you 
pass  with  a friendly  word.  Women  are  treated  in  the 
woman’s  hospital  in  charge  of  Dr.  Bretthauer  and  Miss 
Crawford.  A nurses’  training  school  is  conducted  here. 

At  the  Chengtu  Union  Medical  School  the  Society  is 
represented  by  Dr.  W.  R.  Morse,  who  is  one  of  the  lead- 
ing surgeons  of  West  China.  The  success  which  this 
school  has  already  had  leads  one  to  expect  that  it  will 
be  able  to  supply  the  mission  fields  adequately  with 
Chinese  doctors. 


SUMMARY 

In  one  of  the  most  prosperous  and  fertile  lands  of  the 
great  Chinese  Empire,  remote  from  ci\’ilization  but  full 
of  promise  for  the  future,  Christianity’s  peaceful  penetra- 
tion is  well  imderway.  Good  pioneer  work  has  been 
done,  and  on  a strong  foundation  the  future  advance  of 
the  work  can  be  carried  out.  The  people  are  interested; 
all  classes,  learning,  agriculture,  labor,  commerce  and 
military,  ■ — not  to  mention  the  wild  aboriginal  hiU- 
dwellers,  — have  been  reached.  Intensive  educational 
and  medical  work  is  being  imdertaken  in  the  five  central 
stations,  from  which  trained  workers  and  sincere  believers 
are  being  sent  out  into  the  vast  surrounding  lands  to 
spread  the  gospel.  As,  through  the  years  to  come,  modern 
commercial  and  industrial  methods  open  the  cities,  farms, 
and  mines  of  West  China  to  the  developmenl  hey  require, 
■ — ■ so  the  Christian  workers  will  open  the  hearts  of  the 
people  to  show  forth  the  spiritual  and  moral  riches  that 
lie  hidden  there,  imtil  West  China  shall  become  one  of 
the  great  strongholds  of  the  Kingdom  of  Christ. 


:39 


STATIONS 


THE  FIVE  STATIONS 

Chengtu  (chen-t66)  opened  1909,  a city  of  700,000  people;  the 
capital  of  Szechuan  Province,  the  center  of  a densely  populated 
plain  (1,700  to  the  square  mile)  over  2,000  miles  from  Shanghai. 
Here  are  located  the  West  China  Union  University,  the  Union  Bible 
Training  School,  the  Union  Normal  School  for  women  and  the 
Union  Language  School  for  missionaries.  The  church  has  30  members. 

Kiatingfu  (Ja-dm-foo),  founded  1894,  between  Suifu  and  Chengtu, 
is  located  at  the  meeting-point  of  three  rivers,  and  is  known  as  a 
center  for  the  silk,  white-wax  and  salt  trades.  Mount  Omei,  one 
of  China's  famous  sacred  mountains,  a stronghold  of  Buddhism,  is 
only  one  day  distant.  There  is  a strong  Baptist  church  and  several 
well  organized  schools  for  boys.  A number  of  promising  students 
have  gone  from  here  to  Chengtu  University. 

Ningyuenfu  (Ning-yuen-foo),  opened  190.5,  is  our  most  remote 
station  in  China,  located  500  miles  southwest  of  Yachowfu;  is  the 
capital  of  the  prefecture  and  affords  access  to  many  cities  to  the 
south,  west  and  north.  East  of  the  district  are  the  Lolos,  wild 
aboriginal  tribes,  for  whom  nothing  adequate  is  being  attempted. 
Ningyuenfu  is  not  much  farther  northeast  of  Myitkyina,  Burma, 
than  it  is  southwest  of  Chengtu,  West  China.  There  is  a large 
lower  primary  school  for  boys  in  the  city  and  upper  primary  classes 
have  been  opened.  A large  school  for  girls  used  to  be  conducted 
by  the  wives  of  the  missionaries  and  is  now  kept  up  by  Chinese 
helpers. 

Suifu  (Swa-foo),  20,000  miles  from  the  coast,  opened  1889,  the 
first  station  in  the  West  China  Mission.  This  city,  with  a population 
of  200,000  is  the  center  of  a district  of  2,000,000  people  and  com- 
mercially ranks  as  the  third  city  in  the  province.  A vigorous  church 
is  established  here.  The  new  church  building,  erected  through 
contributions  of  Chinese  friends,  American  friends  and  missionaries, 
is  already  proving  too  small.  Higher  and  lower  primary  schools  are 
conducted  for  both  girls  and  boys.  In  Munroe  Academy  the  students 
are  prepared  for  the  middle  or  high  school  and  University.  The  day 
school  for  women  is  sending  out  useful  Christian  wives  and  mothers. 
The  kindergarten  started  a few  years  ago  has  proved  a great  success. 
The  girls’  boarding  school  has  become  one  of  the  finest  evangelizing 
agencies  in  the  station. 

Yachowfu  (Ya-j6-f66)  opened  189.3;  most  western  station,  a 
walled  city  standing  at  the  head  of  raft  navigation  on  the  Ya  River, 
center  of  a district  of  1,000,000  population.  The  work  here  is  well 
developed  through  a church  with  395  members,  and  all  the  regular 
departments  are  active.  Boarding  school  work  for  boys  and  graded 
day  schools  with  a chain  of  five  primary  schools  in  outstations; 
schools  for  girls;  a Bible  school  for  women;  and  hospital  work  for 
both  men  and  women. 


40 


MISSIONARIES 


MISSIONARIES  IN  WEST  CHINA 

Complete  to  December  1,  1919 

Abbreviations;  m.  married;  * deceased  while  in  service;  f retired 
from  the  mission  and  still  living  (1919);  I retired  from  the  mission 
and  since  deceased. 

Name  Date  of  Arrival 

Adams,  Rev.  A.  G 1914 

Adams,  Mrs.  Olive  O.  Mason 1914 

Argetsinger,  Miss  Minnie  M 1919 

Bailey,  Rev.  W.  E 1912 

Bailey,  Mrs.  Bertha  L.  Collins 1912 

Bassett,  Miss  Beulah  E 1907 

tBeaman,  Rev.  W.  F.  (m.  Miss  Frances  C.  Bliss) 1894 

{Bliss,  Miss  Frances  C.  (m.  Rev.  W.  F.  Beaman) 1894 

Bovell,  Miss  Mabel  E 1918 

Bradshaw,  Rev.  F.  J 1894 

Bradshaw,  Mrs.  Martha  A.  Phillips,  M.D 190.3 

Bretthauer,  Miss  Emilie,  M.D.  (transferred  from  Central 

China) 1916 

Brodbeck,  Miss  L.  Emma 1918 

tChambers,  Miss  Irene  M 1911 

*Cherney,  Rev.  J.  A 1909 

jCherney,  Mrs.  Julia  S.  Wilson  (Mrs.  T.  Bateman)  ....  1909 

Clark,  Rev.  I.  Brooks  (transferred  to  East  China  Mission)  1906 
Clark,  Mrs.  Clara  Heyel  (transferred  to  East  China  Mission ) 1906 

*Cody,  Miss  Jennie  L.  (transferred  from  Central  China)  . . 1915 

fCole,  Miss  Anna  B.  (Mrs.  H.  A.  Vernon) 1903 

Corlies,  Miss  Anna  E.,  M.D.  (m.  Rev.  H.  F.  Rudd)  . 1906 

*Corlies,  Briton,  M.D 1898 

Crawford,  Miss  L.  Jennie  (transferred  from  Central  China)  1916 

Davies,  Rev.  J.  P 1906 

Davies,  Mrs.  Helen  E.  MacNeill 1906 

tDavitt,  G.  Glass,  M.D 1913 

{Davitt,  Mrs.  Laura  LaRue 1913 

Dye,  Mr.  Daniel  S 1908 

Dye,  Mrs.  Jane  C.  Balderston 1919 

tFinch,  C.  H.,  M.D 1892 

{Finch,  Mrs.  Clara  B.  Whitemarsh 1892 

{Forbes,  Miss  Bessie  G 1892 

Foster,  Mr.  C.  L 1910 

Foster,  Mrs.  Ruth  B.  Smith 1912 

tGardelin,  Miss  M.  A 1894 


41 


MISSIONARIES 


Name  Date  of  Arrival 

Graham,  Rev.  D.  C 1911 

Graham,  Mrs.  Alicia  M.  Morey 1911 

tHall,  Rev.  Asa  Z.  Hall,  M.D 1906 

jHill,  Rev.  G.  W.  (transferred  to  Japan  in  1895) 1894 

tHill,  Mrs.  Mary  Hoyt  (transferred  to  Japan  in  1895)  . . . 1894 

Humphreys,  J.  C.,  M.D 1910 

Humphreys,  Mrs.  Ethel  M.  Baumgardner 1910 

Inveen,  Miss  Emma  (m.  Rev.  W.  M.  Upcraft)  (transferred 

from  East  China)  1891 

Jensen,  Rev.  J.  C 1911 

Jensen,  Mrs.  Lois  A.  Butler 1911 

*Lewis,  Rev.  C.  G 1905 

tLewis,  Mrs.  Ada  Culley 1905 

Lovegren,  Mr.  L.  A 1917 

Lovegren,  Mrs.  Ida  Langsea 1917 

tMcKinney,  Rev.  W.  A 1903 

tMcKinney,  Mrs.  Roberta  H.  Montgomery  1903 

JMalcolm,  F.  B.,  M.D 1894 

tMason,  Miss  Pansy  C.  (Mrs.  Charles  Surtees) 1909 

Moncrieff,  Mr.  J.  E 1915 

Moncrieff,  Mrs.  Virginia  A.  Merriam 1915 

Morse,  W.  R.,  M.D 1910 

Morse,  Mrs.  Anna  C.  Kinney 1910 

Openshaw,  Mr.  H.  J 1894 

Openshaw,  Mrs.  Lena  Van  Valkenburgh  1898 

Page,  Miss  F.  Pearl  1903 

Roeder,  Miss  Winifred  M.  (transferred  from  Central  China)  1915 
Rudd,  Rev.  F.  H.  (m.  Miss  Anna  E.  Corlies,  M.D.)  . 1903 

*Salquist,  Rev.  C.  A 1893 

Salquist,  Mrs.  Anna  M.  Ericsson 1897 

fShields,  Edgar  T.,  M.D 1908 

jShields,  Mrs.  Frances  E.  Davis  1908 

tSilke,  Rev.  William  G 1893 

Slaght,  Miss  Carrie  E.,  M.D 1917 

Smith,  Rev.  F.  N 1911 

Smith,  Mrs.  Lucy  H.  Holmes 1911 

Taylor,  Rev.  Joseph,  D.D 1903 

Taylor,  Mrs.  Helena  W.  Witte 1906 

Taylor,  Rev.  W.  R 1912 

Taylor,  Mrs.  Harriett  E.  Duguid 1912 

Therolf,  Miss  Frances  1918 

Tompkins,  C.  E.,  M.D 1902 

Tompkins,  Mrs.  May  T.  Bisbee 1902 

JUpcraft,  Rev.  W.  N.  (m.  Miss  Emma  Inveen) 1889 


42 


MISSIONARIES 


Name 


Date  of  Arrival 


fViking,  Rev.  C.  F 1894 

tViking,  Mrs.  C.  F 1894 

Wall,  Miss  Frida  G 1919 

tWarner,  Mr.  George  (transferred  to  East  China  in  1895)  . 1889 

fWarner,  Mrs.  Mara  S.  Morehead  (transferred  to  East  China 

in  1895) 1889 

*Wellwood,  Rev.  Robert 1891 

Wellwood,  Mrs.  Robert 1891 


The  Van  Deman  Memorial  Hall  at  West  China  Union  University 


43 


INDEX 


Index 

Part  I.  General  Survey 

Location 4 

Topography 5 

Climate 6 

The  People , 7 

The  Language 8 

Wap  of  China 9 

Part  II.  The  Land  and  the  People 

Characteristics  of  the  People .12 

Religions  13 

Idol  Worship 14 

Buddhism  in  China 15 

Problems  Confronting  Christianity 15 

Part  III.  Beginnings  of  Missions 

First  Missionaries  18 

Expansion 20 

Political  Disturbances 21 

Reorganization 22 

Retrospect 23 

Part  IV.  Present  Work 

Baptist  Stations:  Suifu 26 

Kiatingfu  27 

Yachowfu 28 

Ningyuanfu  29 

Chengtu 29 

Evangelism  31 

Encouraging  Signs  32 

Education 33 

M unroe  Academy 34 

Work  for  Women 35 

Medical  Work 36 

Suifu  Hospital 37 

Emergency  Red  Cross  Corps 38 

Summary  39 

List  of  Stations  40 

List  of  Missionaries  41 

44 


* f* 


Tj'OR  Additional  literature 

^ or  other  information  regarding 
the  work  of  the  AMERICAN  BAPTIST 
Foreign  Mission  Society  write 
to  any  of  the  following: 

The  General  Board  of  Promotion, 

276  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  City. 

The  State  Board  of  Promotion  of  your  State. 

Department  of  Missionary  Education, 

276  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  City. 

Literature  Department, 

276  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  City. 


205-5M-4-1-1920 


